Sprinkler head earth and grass cutter mechanism

ABSTRACT

A miniature power operated, rotary mowing device having an earth and grass edger for sprinkler heads and employing a simple manual operable means manipulated by an operator for quickly being rendered capable of performing the rotary mowing action or the earth and grass cutting sprinkler head action.

United States Patent Davis [54] SPRINKLER HEAD EARTH AND GRASS CUTTERMECHANISM I72] Inventor: William C. Davis, PO. Box 388,

Peoria, Ariz. 85345 [22] Filed: May 7, 1971 21 Appl. No.: 141,258

[52] US. Cl. ..172/15, 172/23, 172/124, 30/264 [51] Int. Cl. ..A0lb45/00 [58] Field of Search ..178/13, 15, 23, 25, 124; 30/DIG. 7, 276,264

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,028,669 4/1962 Caskey etal ..l72/l3 UX 1 Aug. 1, 1972 3,174,224 3/1965 Rousselet ..30/276 XPrimary Examiner-Robert E. Pulfrey Assistant Examiner-Stephen C.Pellegrino Attorney-Warren F. B. Lindsley [57] ABSTRACT9Claims,7lkawingFlgures SPRINKLER HEAD EARTH AND GRASS CU'I'I'ERMECHANISM BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention pertains to poweroperated rotary mowing and edging devices.

1. Field of the Invention This invention is particularly directed torotary mowing devices employing an edger and trimmer for use aroundembedded lawn sprinkler heads.

2. Description of the Prior Art I-Ieretofore, trimmers have beenprovided which employed a vertical elongated tube having a cross head onthe upper end provided with a handle. The lower end of the tube fitsover a sprinkler head and is provided with an endless ring. The loweredge of the ring is provided with serrations sharpened into cuttingteeth. Since this structure is hand operated, it has problems ofalignment and fatigue of the operator.

In accordance with the invention claimed a new and improved poweroperated miniature rotary mower and sprinkler head earth and grasscutter device is provided which quickly converts from a rotary grasscutter to a usable edger and trimmer for sprinkler heads and the likewith a minimum of effort.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is, therefore, one object of this inventionto provide an improved rotary hand held gardening tool.

' Another object of this invention is to provide an improved mower withsprinkler head earth and grass trimming ability.

A further object of this invention is to provide a hand held wandcomprising a rotary mower and sprinkler head trimmer employing aself-contained power source.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a positive drivehand held miniature rotary mower convertable quickly into a sprinklerhead trimmer.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent asthe following description proceeds and the features of novelty whichcharacterize this invention will be pointed out with particularity inthe claims annexed to and forming a part of this specification.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side elevation of theminiature mower with its earth and grass cutting attachment shown atrest in retracted position and the mower in position to cut grass.

F IG. 2 is a plan view of the mowing device shown in FIG. 1,illustrating the device cutting grass in close proximity to a wall of abuilding.

FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of the mowing device partly brokenaway and in section and taken substantially on line 3 3 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a side elevation of the mowing, earth and grass cutting deviceof FIG. 1, illustrating the respective positions of the various elementsof the device when placed directly over a sprinkler head, ready forcutting and removing earth and grass from around the sprinkler head.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary side elevation of the device shown in FIG. 4,with parts in section and broken away to illustrate the respectivepositions of the various elements of the device when completing theremoval of earth and grass from around a sprinkler head.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view illustrating an area of lawn provided withsprinkler heads and a workman utilizing the miniature mower, earth andgrass cutting device of the invention for cutting and removing earth andgrass from around the sprinkler heads.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 7 7 of FIG. 5illustrating an important feature of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the variousviews of the drawings for a more detailed description of theconstruction and other features of the invention by characters ofreference, FIG. 1 illustrates a manually controlled miniature mowing,earth and grass cutting machine 10 which comprises a mowing and cuttingelement 1 1 having a long tubular carrying handle or manual positioningcontrol arm 12 extending upwardly and outwardly, in angular relationfrom a gear box or housing 13. Control arm 12 is provided with suitablehand grips 14, by which the operator may lift or position the mowing andcutting device as required for the particular function being performed.

The mowing and earth cutting device 10 as shown in FIG. 6 is fitted atits extreme outer end of the control arm 12 with a miniature gas engine15 mounted above a hand guard 16 for supplying the necessary power ortorque to drive and rotate a suitable cutting blade 17 of cuttingelement 11 through grass or earth at controlled speed to perform thedesired function. The cutting blade 17 is securely attached to a shortdrive shaft 18 which projects downwardly from the gear housing 13wherein it is connected by suitable gears (not shown) to a long driveshaft 19 which extends from the gear housing 13 within the center of thetubular control arm 12 to the gas engine 15, where it is connected indriving relation thereto.

It should be understood that any suitable arrangement of drive shafts,gears and propulsion means other than the gas engine shown could be usedto supply the necessary rotative power to the cutting blade 17, such asan electric motor, without affecting the functions of the mowing andearth cutting device described and claimed.

Gear housing 13 and its extension 20 are securely mounted on a rigidchannel plate 21 which extends front and rear of the gear housing. Atransverse rigid plate 22 integral with or securely attached to plate 21extends laterally from both sides of channel plate 21 to support arectangular shaped frame member 23. Frame member 23 is removably securedto transverse plate member 22 by bolts and nuts 24. Frame member 23 hasa semi-circular extension 25 attached to a bottom portion 26 of theframe which extends forward under drive shaft 18, thereby providing aguard for the rotating shaft to prevent it from contacting groundsurface 27 when the mower is pushed or pulled thereover.

Fastened to the top outer edges of frame 23 is a pair of rearwardlyextending brackets 28 having turned in ends which are adapted to supporta suitable roller 29. Roller 29 extends transversely the full width ofthe frame or at least as wide as the circular path 30 of the cuttingblade 17. Roller 29 acts as a stabilizer, to keep path 30 of the cuttingblade in a plane parallel to the ground surface and also to provide acontrol for the height of grass cut by pivoting the mowing and cuttingelement 11 about the center of the roller to raise or lower the cuttingblade 17 relative to the ground surface, as shown in FIG. 1. i

It should be noted by referring to FIG. 2 of the drawings that themowing and cutting element 11 is capable of cutting grass or othergrowth closely adjacent to building wall or fence structures 31 asindicated at 32, without damage to the structures because the end walls33 of frame member 23 serve as guides and guards for both the rotatingblade 17 and the wall of fence structures 31.

It should be understood that the function and usage of the mowingelements of this invention shown in FlGS..1,-2 and 3 of the drawings arenot limited to mowing or trimming grass or other growth in confined orhard to get at areas; but also may be utilized as a scythe for cuttingtall grass, weeds and the like by simply gripping the control arm inboth hands, lifting the cutting element from' the ground surface andswinging the device toand fro in an arc into the growth to be cut.

FIGS. 4 through 7 of the drawings illustrate earth and grassycuttingaction of the invention and show the claimed structure aroundcylindrical objects that may be installed in a lawn such as sprinklerheads with their tops orv heads 34 being flush with ground level 27 andconnected to conduits or pipes 35 installed under the surface of theground, all part of a lawn sprinkler system. V

To quickly and easily perform the functions outlined above, the mowingdevice of this invention is provided with a detachable, locating andcutting blade positioning mechanism which is adapted to accuratelycenter and position the cutting blade 17 in proper relation to anobjectsuch as sprinkler head 34 from around which the earth and grass is to beremoved. This detachable accessory unit or mechanism is indicatedgenerally by reference character 36, and comprises a tubular sleeve 37which is supported by and pivotally attached to mowing and earth cuttingmachine in a desired angular relationship by means of two pairs of links38 and 39, respectively, which are pivotally attached at their ends toupper and lower projecting bosses 40 and 41. These bosses are integralwith and project outwardly from both sides of tubular sleeve 37. Thepair of lower links 39 are pivotally connected at their outer ends tobosses 42 as shown in FIG. 3 which are integral with and project fromboth sides of the gear housing extension 20 and also to an upstandinglink 43 which is rigidly secured at its lower end to channel plate 21.This type of connection is provided to transfer any radial movement oflinks 39 along the are 44 shown in FIG. 5 to change the angular relationof cutting element 11 with respect tovthe locatingand positioning unit36, the

purpose of which will hereinafier appear.

The pair of upper links 38 are pivotally connected at theirouter ends tosleeve member 45 which surrounds control arm 12 and is adapted to beslidably moved up and down on the control arm and toremain fixed in anydesired adjusted position by means of an adjusting mechanism 46.Mechanism 46 is pivotally connected at threaded rod 50, a thumb nut 51and a compression spring 52, as shown in FIGS. 1, 4 and 5.

This adjustable feature just described is provided to control therespective angularity between control arm 12 and positioning unit 36,when links 38 are caused to move about an arc of travel 53 at the outerends of links 38, as shown in FIG. 4. It should be understood thatlinks38 and 39 could be at any desired length to vary the angularityadjustment of the cutting element 11 in relation to ground surface 27and the positioningunit 36 so as to cut and remove earth and grass fromaround larger objects than sprinkler heads as shown. The pivoted ends oflinks 38 and 39 are joumaled on suitable bolts or screws 54 which extendthrough drilled.

holes in their respective retaining bosses 40, 41 and 42 and are securedon their ends by locking nuts 55. The outer pivoted ends of links 38 arejoumaled on suitable studs 56, which project from both sides of thesliding sleeve member 45 and are secured by locking nuts 57' to preventinterference with the sliding action of said sleeve. I

The tubular sleeve 37, to which one end of each of links 38 and 39 arepivotally connected, is provided with a central shaft 58 which isadapted to fit into bore 59 of the sleeve with slight clearance to allowfree rotation of shaft 58in the bore and'to allow for free slidingaction of sleeve 37 on the shaft. Shaft 58 is longer than its retainingsleeve 37 and extends from one end of the sleeve a sufficient distanceto allow for the necessary sliding action of the sleeve relative to theshaft.

Secured to the upper extending end of shaft 58 is a cap member 60 whichserves to limit the relative sliding movement of shaft 58 relative tosleeve 37. Securely attached to the lower end of shaft 58 is acylindrical posi tioning and guide member 61 which has an open end, theinside diameter of which is slightly larger than the diameter ofsprinkler head 34 from around which earth and grass is to be removed.The top inside horizontal surface 62 of guide member 61 and itsconnection to shaft 58 is preferably smooth and the shaft and guidemember assembly is allowed to rotate or free-wheel within sleeve 37 sothat any rotative motion that may be imparted to the guide memberwhencoming into contact with the sprinkler head will-not be transferredto sleeve 37. This structure prevents possible damage to the sprinklerhead or unsafe torque from being applied to the machine. 7

To provide the free-wheeling action described above and still allow forrelative sliding movement between shaft 58 and sleeve 37 cap member 60is connected to shaft 58 by means comprising a semi-circularcircumferential groove 63 formed in shaft 58 which is in alignment witha drilled hole 64 extending through cap member 60, bolt 65 having aradius which is slightly less than the radius of the semi-circularsection of groove 63 passes through hole 64 and groove 63 and is securedtherein by lock nuts 66. This method of attachment of the cap member toshatt58 allows the shaft to rotate freely in sleeve 37.

Cap member 60 is also provided with a rearwardly extending arm 67 havinga depression adjacent its outer end which is adapted to receive andsupport one end of a tension spring 68. The other end of spring 68 issecurely attached to a rearwardly projecting tab 69 formed integral withsleeve 37. This tension spring exerts longitudinal force on the assemblyof cap member 60, shaft 58 and guide member 61 relative to sleeve 37 andits associated parts, such as the links 38 and 39, when these elementsare in their inactive position shown in FIG. 1. These elements areretained in this inactive position when mowing element 11 is in use by aholding rod 70. Rod 70 is pivotally secured at its upper end by a clamp71 to control arm 12 and at its lower hook end 72 by an eye 73 formed inan ear of cap 60. The cutting element 11 and the locating andpositioning unit 36 are also retained in their respective positionsshown in FIG. 1 by means of a pair of tension springs 74, the upper endsof which are journaled on bolts 54 which extend through bosses 40, andthe lower ends of which are journaled on other bolts 54 which extendthrough bosses 42 on gear housing extension 20. Further usage andfunctions of the aforementioned tension springs will be evident from thefollowing paragraphs which describe the operation and function of themowing and earth cutting machine of this invention, when being used toremove earth and grass from around sprinkler heads or the like.

OPERATION The operator or workman 75 preferably stops the engine 15 forsafety reasons, removes the hooked end 72 of the holding rod 70 and fromthe eye 73 in an ear of cap member 60, thereby relieving some of thetension of spring 68 and allowing the spring to pull cap 60 and shaft 58to which it is attached and the tubular sleeve 37 together. This causesguide member 61 and shaft 58 to move downwardly out from the bottom endof sleeve 37.

The workman then restarts the engine and lifts the entire machine fromthe ground surface and locates the guide member 61 directly over thecenter of sprinkler head 34, with the open end of the guide memberresting on ground surface 27 and with sleeve 37 of the locating andpositioning unit 36 extending above and perpendicular to the center ofthe sprinkler head. The operator then proceeds to apply downwardpressure to control arm 12 which is held with both hands as shown inFIG. 6, thereby lowering sleeve 37 of positioning unit 36 into contactwith the top surface of guide member 61, and at the same time allowingtension springs 74 to rotate links 38 and 39 about arcs 44 and 53,thereby moving the cutting element 11 up and out from possible contactwith the guide member 61 and positioning the elements of the machine asshown in FIG. 4. The machine is now ready to begin the grass cutting andearth removing operation from around the sprinkler head.

The workman checks to be sure the positioning unit 36 is directly overand perpendicular to the sprinkler head. He then proceeds to exertadditional downward pressure on the control arm l2.thereby lowering thecutting element 11 and the rotating blade 17 into contact with theground surface 27 by slowly moving the links 38 and 39 against the pullof tension spring 74,

downwardly along the path of their arcs 44 and 53. The workman thencontinues to exert downward pressure on control arm 12 and proceeds toslowly walk in a circular path around the sprinkler head, causing blade17 of cutting element 11 to cut and throw out earth and grass fromaround the sprinkler head resulting in the formation of a clean conicalshaped depression 76 surrounding each sprinkler head operated on.

It should be noted that the above described operation presents no dangerof damage to the below ground pipes of the sprinkler system because theapproach of the cutting blade 17 to pipe 35 can be accurately controlledby adjusting mechanism 46 which controls and holds sleeve member 45 andhence limits the travel of links 38 and 39 with respect to their pivotpoints, about their arcs 53 and 44. When the workman has completed thisoperation, he merely lifts the machine from the formed depression andthe tension springs then return the various elements to the positionshown in FIG. 4 ready for another such operation. If the workman desiresto use the machine for a mowing operation he merely pulls out shaft 58against the tension of spring 68 and 74 and replaces the hooked end 72of the holding rod in eye 73 and the machine is again ready to resumemowing operations in the position shown in FIG. 1.

Although but one embodiment of the invention has been shown anddescribed it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that variouschanges and modifications may be made therein without departing from thespirit of the invention or from the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A power tool comprising in combination:

a hand held first shaft,

a rotary cutting blade pivotally mounted on said first shaft at one endthereof,

means mounted on said first shaft for rotating said cutting blade,

lever means pivotally mounted at one end thereof on said first shaft,

a hollow elongated cylindrical member pivotally mounted on the other endof said lever means for movement longitudinally of said first shaft,

a second shaft slidably mounted in said cylindrical member,

an orienting cup having an inside diameter for receiving ground mounteditems mounted at an end of said second shaft common with said one end ofsaid first shaft,

means mounted on said tool for biasing said second shaft and said cupoutwardly of said cylindrical member,

said first shaft when actuated longitudinally of said cylindrical memberwhen said cup has engaged a ground mounted item causing said cuttingblade to move angularly relative to said cup at an acute angle with saidsecond shaft.

2. The power tool set forth in claim 1 wherein said biasing means forsaid second shaft is mounted between said other end of said second shaftand said cylindrical member.

3. The power tool set forth in claim 1 in further combination with meansmounted on said first shaft for adjustably positioning said cuttingblade in one of a plurality of positions in angular relationship to saidfirst shaft. 1

4. The power tool set forth in claim 1 in further combination with meansfor mounting said cutting blade so that the plane of its blade forms anacute angle with the longitudinal axis of said second shaft.

5. The power tool set forth in claim 1 wherein, said lever means is ofsufiicient length' to cause said first shaft and saidcylindrical memberto be separated a sufficient distance to cause said cutting blade whenmoved angularly relative said cup to pass under said cup a predetermineddistance.

6. The power tool set forth in claim 1 wherein said lever meanscomprises a pair of spaced levers, one of said levers being fixedlyattached at one end to said first shaft and the other of said leversbeing attached at one end to a collar slidably positioned on said firstshaft, said collar's position on said first shaft fixing the angularposition of said cutting blade with said second shaft.

7. The power tool set forth in claim 1 in further combination with: g

a housing attached to said first shaft for surrounding said cuttingblade on its sides and exposing a said cutting blade at its lowersurface,

a roller mounted on said housing in suitable bearings for groundengagement at which time said cutter blade assumes a parallelrelationship with the ground at a given height above it, and

means attached between said second shaft and said first shaft forretracting said cylindrical member and said second shaft longitudinally.of said first shaft away from said cutting blade to permit said cuttingblade and roller to operate as a mower.

8. The power tool set forth in claim 1 in further combination with meansattached between said second shaft and said first shaft for retractingsaid cylindrical member and said second shaft longitudinally of saidfirst shaft away from said cutting blade and holding them in saidretracted position.

9. The power tool set forth in claim I wherein said means mounted onsaid first shaft for rotating said cutting blade comprises a gasolineengine.

t i I

1. A power tool comprising in combination: a hand held first shaft, arotary cutting blade pivotally mounted on said first shaft at one endthereof, means mounted on said first shaft for rotating said cuttingblade, lever means pivotally mounted at one end thereof on said firstshaft, a hollow elongated cylindrical member pivotally mounted on theother end of said lever means for movement longitudinally of said firstshaft, a second shaft slidably mounted in said cylindrical member, anorienting cup having an inside diameter for receiving ground mounteditems mounted at an end of said second shaft common with said one end ofsaid first shaft, means mounted on said tool for biasing said secondshaft and said cup outwardly of said cylindrical member, said firstshaft when actuated longitudinally of said cylindrical member when saidcup has engaged a ground mounted item causing said cutting blade to moveangularly relative to said cup at an acute angle with said second shaft.2. The power tool set forth in claim 1 wherein said biasing means forsaid second shaft is mounted between said other end of said second shaftand said cylindrical member.
 3. The power tool set forth in claim 1 infurther combination with means mounted on said first shaft foradjustably positioning said cutting blade in one of a plurality ofpositions in angular relationship to said first shaft.
 4. The power toolset forth in claim 1 in further combination with means for mounting saidcutting blade so that the plane of its blade forms an acute angle withthe longitudinal axis of said secoNd shaft.
 5. The power tool set forthin claim 1 wherein said lever means is of sufficient length to causesaid first shaft and said cylindrical member to be separated asufficient distance to cause said cutting blade when moved angularlyrelative said cup to pass under said cup a predetermined distance. 6.The power tool set forth in claim 1 wherein said lever means comprises apair of spaced levers, one of said levers being fixedly attached at oneend to said first shaft and the other of said levers being attached atone end to a collar slidably positioned on said first shaft, saidcollar''s position on said first shaft fixing the angular position ofsaid cutting blade with said second shaft.
 7. The power tool set forthin claim 1 in further combination with: a housing attached to said firstshaft for surrounding said cutting blade on its top and sides andexposing said cutting blade at its lower surface, a roller mounted onsaid housing in suitable bearings for ground engagement at which timesaid cutter blade assumes a parallel relationship with the ground at agiven height above it, and means attached between said second shaft andsaid first shaft for retracting said cylindrical member and said secondshaft longitudinally of said first shaft away from said cutting blade topermit said cutting blade and roller to operate as a mower.
 8. The powertool set forth in claim 1 in further combination with means attachedbetween said second shaft and said first shaft for retracting saidcylindrical member and said second shaft longitudinally of said firstshaft away from said cutting blade and holding them in said retractedposition.
 9. The power tool set forth in claim 1 wherein said meansmounted on said first shaft for rotating said cutting blade comprises agasoline engine.